Crossover from Josephson effect to single interface Andreev reflection in asymmetric superconductor/nanowire junctions.

We report on the fabrication and characterization of symmetric nanowire-based Josephson junctions, that is, Al- and Nb-based junctions, and asymmetric junctions employing superconducting Al and Nb. In the symmetric junctions, a clear and pronounced Josephson supercurrent is observed. These samples also show clear signatures of subharmonic gap structures. At zero magnetic field, a Josephson coupling is found for the asymmetric Al/InAs-nanowire/Nb junctions as well. By applying a magnetic field above the critical field of Al or by raising the temperature above the critical temperature of Al the junction can be switched to an effective single-interface superconductor/nanowire structure. In this regime, a pronounced zero-bias conductance peak due to reflectionless tunneling has been observed.

Asian small-clawed otters (Amblonyx cinerea): resting and swimming metabolic rates.

Open-flow oxygen and carbon dioxide respirometry was used in Neumünster Zoo (Germany) to examine the energy requirements of six Asian small-clawed otters (Amblonyx cinerea) at rest and swimming voluntarily under water. Our aim was to compare their energy requirements with those of other warm-blooded species to elucidate scale effects and to test whether the least aquatic of the three otter species differs markedly from these and its larger relatives. While at rest on land (16 degrees C, n = 26), otters (n = 6, mean body mass 3.1 +/- 0.4 kg) had a respiratory quotient of 0.77 and a resting metabolic rate of 5.0 +/- 0.8 Wkg-1(SD). This increased to 9.1 +/- 0.8 Wkg-1 during rest in water (11-15 degrees C, n = 4) and to 17.6 +/- 1.4 Wkg-1 during foraging and feeding activities in a channel (12 degrees C, n = 5). While swimming under water (n = 620 measurements) in an 11-m long channel, otters preferred a speed range between 0.7 ms-1 and 1.2 ms-1. Transport costs were minimal at 1 ms-1 and amounted to 1.47 +/- 0.24 JN-1 m-1 (n = 213). Metabolic rates of small-clawed otters in air were similar to those of larger otter species, and about double those of terrestrial mammals of comparable size. In water, metabolic rates during rest and swimming were larger than those extrapolated from larger otter species and submerged swimming homeotherms. This is attributed to high thermoregulatory costs, and high body drag at low Reynolds numbers.